TD Former United States President Joe Biden is facing a worsening battle with prostate cancer, with his son, Hunter Biden, saying the disease has metastasised into his bones and beyond.
Hunter disclosed the latest development in an interview with the BBC’s Newsnight, describing his father’s condition as painful and debilitating.
The comments were reported on August 8, 2026, and have since drawn widespread international attention.
‘It’s Very Painful and Very Debilitating’
Speaking about his 83-year-old father, Hunter Biden said the cancer had progressed beyond the stage previously publicly disclosed.
“The cancer has spread, metastasized into his bones and further,” Hunter said, according to Reuters. He added that the condition was “very painful” and “very debilitating in many respects.”
Hunter did not specify where the cancer has spread beyond the bones.
TIME also reported that Biden’s office has not publicly provided additional details about the extent of the disease.
A spokesperson for the former president declined to comment on Hunter’s interview, Reuters reported.
Biden Was Diagnosed in 2025
Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis was first made public in May 2025, less than four months after he left the White House.
His personal office said at the time that doctors had diagnosed him with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had already spread to his bones.
The cancer was reported to have a Gleason score of 9, indicating a high-grade disease.
His office also said the cancer appeared to be hormone-sensitive, meaning that hormone-based treatment could be used to manage the disease.
The diagnosis followed medical examinations after Biden experienced urinary symptoms.
Treatment Has Included Radiation and Hormone Therapy
Following the diagnosis, Biden underwent treatment for the disease.
His spokesperson said in October 2025 that he was receiving radiation treatment and hormone therapy. The former president subsequently completed a round of radiation therapy.
The latest comments from Hunter indicate that the disease has nevertheless progressed.
It remains unclear from the publicly available information what additional treatment Biden is currently receiving or what his doctors have said about the latest progression.
Biden Remains Publicly Active
Despite his health challenges, Biden has continued to make occasional public appearances and speak on political and national issues.
Hunter said his father remains engaged and believes his work is not finished.
Biden attended the dedication of former President Barack Obama’s presidential library in Chicago in June and also appeared as a keynote speaker at a Maryland Democratic Party event.
Biden is also scheduled to release his presidential memoir, Promise Me, America, on November 17, 2026.
Family Facing Continuing Health Battle
The latest development adds to a difficult period for the Biden family.
Hunter’s older brother, Beau Biden, died from brain cancer in 2015.
Joe and Jill Biden have subsequently made cancer research and treatment a major focus of their public advocacy.
Jill Biden has also spoken about the continuing impact of her husband’s diagnosis.
TIME reported that she described cancer as something that would remain part of his life and said dealing with the disease was challenging for the family.
Further Details Yet to Be Disclosed
The latest information about Biden’s condition comes from Hunter Biden rather than a new medical statement from the former president’s doctors.
Consequently, details about the precise extent of the progression, current treatment and prognosis have not been publicly disclosed.
What is established is that Biden was diagnosed in 2025 with aggressive prostate cancer that had already spread to his bones.
His son has now disclosed that the disease has progressed further, describing it as painful and debilitating.
The development marks a significant new chapter in the former president’s ongoing health battle.
